At least the refurb's finished at Newcastle Central, but god what an appalling layout. It's never been an easy station to get around (toilets in stupid locations for example), but the new layout cleverly fails to address any of the previous erm, quirks, while adding a whole load of new ones.
Going into the station, the entry ticket barriers are on the left, the exit barriers on the right, and farther to the right is the ramp for the bridge, meaning you have to fight your way through the people leaving to get onto the bridge.
And there's now a massive food court and a Boots where the ticket office used to be. The new (smaller) ticket office is now at the darkest loneliest corner of the station - they may as well have just chucked it in the Metro station.
Sure, it's easier to get a sarnie now, but I kinda think the layout of the station should at least give a nod towards its purpose, i.e. actually going somewhere. It's not as though people were starving in the past, there's a Gregg's and a Subway opposite the station.
And the dangly bike space has ruined my mudflap.